Enrollment and growth continue to be important priorities at Oregon State University and across higher education. While many factors influence a student’s decision to enroll, the experience students have as they transition into the university remains a critical part of retention, engagement, and long-term success.
For Ecampus, onboarding is more than a single event or orientation module. It is a coordinated effort that involves teams across the university working together to help students navigate the various pieces. From admissions and transcript evaluation to advising, student support, and academic colleges, each interaction contributes to a student’s sense of confidence and belonging.
Building a Shared Vision
A few years ago, as part of the Prosperity Widely Shared initiative, Oregon State University set out to create a signature onboarding experience for all new students. A cross-campus workgroup developed a set of goals intended to guide how new students are introduced to the university and supported throughout their transition.
The resulting framework centered on five goals:
- Connect: Build relationships and foster an inclusive community at OSU.
- Navigate: Learn to confidently use university systems, resources, and support services.
- Prepare: Develop the skills needed for academic success.
- Engage: Participate in experiences that encourage growth and learning.
- Balance: Adopt strategies that support personal and community well-being.
A Different Onboarding Reality for Ecampus
While the goals of onboarding are shared across student populations, the realities of serving online learners are unique.
Corvallis campus onboarding largely operates around a single peak period, with most new students beginning in the fall. Ecampus, however, welcomes students year-round. At any given time, teams may be supporting newly admitted students preparing to start in multiple upcoming terms.
This requires an onboarding experience that provides the right information at the right time while accommodating a wide range of academic pathways, life circumstances, and entry points.
Because of this complexity, Ecampus has long relied on a scalable model that helps students complete foundational onboarding activities before connecting with their academic advisor and preparing for registration.
Aligning with the University-Wide Model
On October 19, Ecampus officially aligned with the university’s New Student Onboarding process.
The updated experience consists of five phases:
- Pre-Orientation
- Orientation
- Advising
- Registration
- First-Term Preparation
While the structure may appear straightforward, the redesign reflects significant collaboration across university partners to create a more consistent experience for students regardless of how they access Oregon State.
The most significant changes in the onboarding process come from two areas: the redesigned Ecampus Orientation and the introduction of Success Plans in Beaver Hub, which is how students connect to advising and registration.
Reimagining the Ecampus Orientation Experience
Updating the orientation was a substantial undertaking that brought together a small workgroup to review both the existing Ecampus Orientation and the university’s Prepare content, which was designed utilizing the Ecampus Orientation as a starting point. Rather than simply combining content from both sources, the group centered its work around a guiding question:
What do students need to know right now in this phase of onboarding?
This question became the lens through which every module, page, activity, and resource was evaluated. The result is a more focused experience that emphasizes information students can immediately act upon while reducing content that is more relevant later in their academic journey.
The updated orientation also places greater emphasis on active participation. Rather than asking students to simply read information, the experience incorporates practical assignments and knowledge checks designed to help them engage with the tools, systems, and responsibilities that will be part of their everyday experience as Oregon State students.
For example, students are asked to:
- Send a message using their OSU email account.
- Explore and confirm their academic major.
- Engage with content focused on understanding the financial commitment of earning a degree.
- Review their degree progress in MyDegrees, specifically any transfer credits.
A new module dedicated to financial planning encourages students to think critically about the feasibility of financing their education and identifying resources that can support them throughout their academic journey. This reflects a broader commitment to helping students prepare not only academically, but also financially.
By requiring students to use university systems, explore their academic plans, understand financial obligations, and practice key actions before classes begin, the orientation helps students build confidence and familiarity with the tools they will use throughout their time at Oregon State.
Ultimately, the goal is not simply to help students complete orientation. It is to ensure they begin their first term with a clearer understanding of their academic path, greater awareness of available resources, and practical experience navigating the systems that support their success.
Interested in exploring the updated experience? Check out the Mock Ecampus Orientation to see the new content and navigation.
Using Success Plans to Guide Students to Advising
In addition to a redesigned orientation, Ecampus has also aligned with the university’s advising pathway through the use of Success Plans in Beaver Hub, the centralized platform students use throughout their time at OSU.
Rather than directing students through multiple websites or lengthy instructions, the Success Plan breaks the advising process into a series of clear, manageable tasks. These tasks guide students through completing an intake form and scheduling their advising appointment.
The Success Plan also helps students understand where they are in the onboarding process by tracking progress and confirming completion of required actions. Several tasks update automatically based on university data, including appointment scheduling, advising hold removal, and registration activity. This reduces confusion for students while providing a more seamless experience across systems.
Perhaps most importantly, the use of Success Plans creates a consistent onboarding experience regardless of campus. Whether a student is attending in Corvallis, Bend, or through Ecampus, they are guided through the same framework and can access their tasks through a single, familiar location.
For Ecampus students, this means less time figuring out what to do next and more time focusing on preparing for their first term at Oregon State.
Creating a More Dynamic Communication Experience
A strong onboarding experience requires more than clear content and streamlined processes. Students also need timely reminders and guidance as they move through each step of onboarding.
To support this, Ecampus has introduced a new, more dynamic communication plan designed to meet students where they are in the process. The approach leverages student data to determine which onboarding actions have been completed and which still require attention.
When a student completes a key action, such as finishing orientation, scheduling an advising appointment, or completing other onboarding requirements, the communication plan adjusts accordingly. When a student has not completed a required action, targeted communications provide reminders and guidance to help them stay on track.
This approach creates a more personalized experience for students while reducing unnecessary messaging. It also allows communications to be delivered at the moments when students are most actively engaged in onboarding. For Ecampus students, that engagement typically occurs four to eight weeks before the start of their term, making timing just as important as the message itself.
Beyond the student experience, the new communication strategy also creates operational efficiencies. Many of these reminders and follow-up messages were previously sent manually by staff. Automating routine outreach allows teams to spend less time tracking student progress and sending status updates and more time focusing on higher-impact interactions and support.
Supporting Critical Student Questions
While the redesigned onboarding experience helps students understand what they need to do next, it does not eliminate many of the questions students bring with them to OSU.
For prospective and newly admitted students, three questions consistently rise to the top:
- What transfer credits will apply to my degree?
- How long will it take me to complete my degree?
- How much is earning that degree going to cost?
One of the most common challenges in onboarding is helping students understand how previous coursework will apply toward their degree program.
Many students understandably want answers immediately. However, before those questions can be addressed, their transcripts must first be reviewed.
OSU’s dedicated Transcript Evaluators review and process incoming transcripts every day. Once that evaluation is complete, students receive an Advanced Standing Report (ASR). At that point, they can use MyDegrees to see how transferred credits apply toward their degree requirements and begin having more informed conversations with their academic advisor about their path to graduation.
While much of this work happens behind the scenes, it represents an important part of the overall onboarding journey and illustrates how multiple teams contribute to student success.
Continuing to Build First-Term Support
The onboarding experience extends well beyond orientation and registration.
In December 2025, the Ecampus Learning Community (ELC) was redesigned with a stronger focus on delivering just-in-time information. Content was streamlined and organized around common student questions, making it easier for students to locate relevant information when they need it most.
It was also built knowing that much of what was in the orientation could be relocated to the ELC when students’ capacity for information was likely higher and more relevant to starting courses. It also serves as a resource students can come back to regardless of where they are in their degree program for quick, easy access to the most common resources at OSU.
Ecampus has also expanded virtual programming and partnered with colleagues across the university to create events tailored specifically to the online learner experience. These efforts help students connect with resources, engage with the university community, and build confidence as they begin their first term.
Looking Ahead
The launch of a redesigned onboarding process is not an endpoint but an opportunity to continue improving how we support students.
As Ecampus gathers feedback, evaluates student experiences, and works with campus partners to refine processes, the focus remains the same: helping students feel connected, informed, and prepared throughout their transition to Oregon State University.
For colleagues across Ecampus, this work serves as a reminder that onboarding is not owned by a single office. It is a shared responsibility that spans departments, systems, and services. Whether that contribution comes through direct student support, technology development, communications, curriculum design, transcript processing, or program administration, each piece plays a role in helping students successfully navigate their first experience at OSU.
The first impression students receive matters. Through continued collaboration, innovation, and attention to student feedback, Ecampus will continue refining the onboarding experience to ensure students are prepared not only for their first term, but for long-term success as Oregon State learners.
AI Statement: AI was used in the editing process for this blog post.
